Florence and Aiken <a href="https://healthylife7.com/northeast-ohio-hospitals-reimagining-healthcare-delivery-through-ai/” title=”Northeast Ohio hospitals reimagining healthcare delivery through AI”>healthcare providers HopeHealth and Rural Health Services to merge
Fri, August 28, 2026 at 8:02 PM
HopeHealth in Florence (Credit: Tonya Brown/WPDE)
FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C —Nonprofit healthcare provider HopeHealth and Rural Health Services (RHS) announced plans to merge operations into a single community health center to serve Florence County, Aiken County, and surrounding areas, according to a press release today
The proposed merger is pending final approval from the Health Re, according to a spokesperson. The partnership is a strategic move to expand access to primary and specialty care throughout the Florence and Aiken areas
The merger is contingent upon HRSA’s formal approval, HopeHealth spokesperson Monica Hanna said. If approved, the unified health center will serve approximately 100,000 patients across 24 clinical sites, becoming one of the largest community-based providers in the region
Once approved, the newly unified organization will operate under a single name and governance structure, with the Aiken service area represented at the leadership and board levels, Hanna said
“This partnership represents an exciting opportunity to build on our shared mission of providing compassionate, high-quality care to all who need it,” said Carl Humphries, Chief Executive Officer of HopeHealth in a statement. “By coming together, we can better leverage our resources, expand services, and ensure long-term stability for our patients and staff.
Existing facilities will continue to operate, Hanna said, including The Clyburn Center for Primary Care, Margaret J. Weston Community Health Center, and other Rural Health Services locations
